Boy Who Lost his Feet But Not his Spirit Inspires Brother to Run for Boston Amputees

On July 22, 2008, Harris’s little brother Michael was rushed to the emergency room with a serious bacterial infection. His condition quickly worsened –- septic shock, a coma, and oxygen deprivation to his four limbs — resulting in quadriplegic amputation.

The two both played sports.

“I’ve even won some awards, but that’s nothing in comparison to my brother. He wins the cake for being awesome.”

Despite losing his hands, and having prosthetic devices where his feet once were, he still competes.

“He doesn’t let anything stop him,” says Harris.

“He fought through it in a way I didn’t know was even possible,” wrote Harris Stolzenberg on a website. “He inspires me and everybody around him with his unforgettable smile and positive attitude.”

His mental fortitude carried him through his challenges, but he couldn’t have done it without the overwhelming support of the West Palm Beach, Florida community, which helped pay for the prosthetics and therapy that would cost many thousands of dollars.

After the Boston Marathon bombings, when Harris saw that many families were going to be dealing with similar hardships, he felt compelled to help.

He has begun training to run in next year’s marathon, in honor of his brother and to support those with injuries and unpaid hospital bills. On a website Mikeys Run, he will raise money and donate 100 percent of the funds raised to families in need.

Training for a marathon will not be easy but with your support, I know I can cross the finish line. And when I do, it will have been more than the run of an individual; it will be a run for my brother and for everyone injured in the Boston Marathon attacks.